18 June 2009 - The Gautrain Visit!

Today I had quite an interesting experience. I visited one of the Gautrain sites. The Gautrain is a rapid rail link that will connect the OR Tambo Airport by rail to Sandton and on the north-south axis Johannesburg Park Station will be connected with Pretoria and Hatfield stations via Sandton. A ride between Johannesburg and Pretoria stations will be 35 minutes! Much better than the hour plus it takes on the highway nowadays. The Gautrain is the largest greenfields rail project in the world currently and will cost about R 30 billion. You can read more interesting facts about the train at www.gautrain.co.za.

The visit was very interesting and impressive. It started out at the Gautrain headquarters in Linbro Park where we received a safety induction. After the induction we were presented with a slide show about the project and its progress. According to the presenter they are ahead of their schedule to finish the rail link.

After the presentation and a number of questions we were issued with safety shoes, reflector jackets and hard hats and were put on a bus which headed to the Gautrain depot in Midrand. The depot is where the trains are stored, assembled, tested (each train must complete 3000 test hours before it can be commissioned) and maintained. Very well equipped. Currently the site also accommodates the concrete casting works for the viaduct parts. This part will be converted to a bus depot for the Gautrain buses.

After arriving at the depot we had another safety briefing (they are really very safety conscious) and were taken off to the stores where the trains are being kept. As you can see from the photographs we were able to inspect the trains close up and were explained how the driver controls work. Very high tech stuff. There were (obviously) opportunities for pictures and questions to the resident experts. All the while being watched closely by the security guards. Unfortunately we couldn’t get onto a moving train but did see them running up and down the test track. These trains achieve 160 km/h (they achieved this yesterday and today – the engineers are very chuffed!), really quick.

Also interesting are the track inspection vehicles. Three Land Rovers fitted with track wheels (small train wheels) that engage once they are on the track and then inspect the tracks to make sure the trains can use them safely. Good to know they are doing this because it would not be fun crashing in one of these trains at a 160 km/h!!

The trains run on electricity which they get from 25 KVA (25 000 volt!) overhead lines – it was made clear to us a number of times that should you touch the overhead wire, it will be the only time you will get to do it – you will end up a small heap of carbon if you do.
Well, enough about trains – check out my pics and the website for more interesting stuff.

NOW ABOUT MY WEEKEND AHEAD

If you thought us politicians do a weekday, daytime only job, think again. Yes, another weekend full of politics. Quite a significant one actually.

On Friday afternoon it is off to Cape Town where I will attend my last ADAC (Association of DA Councillors) National Council meeting (see www.adac.co.za for more info about ADAC). On Saturday my successor will be elected after I make a presentation about the ADAC strategy and our future training approach. I am really sad to leave ADAC as it has been such an enriching experience and probably one of the best positions you can ever occupy in politics. However, I am now an MPL and therefore have to move on as new challenges await me.

Soon after making my presentation on Saturday morning it is back to Gauteng and off to Kwa Ndaba where our caucus (DA Gauteng Provincial Caucus) will be having our first bosberaad (team building and strategy formulation meeting). On Sunday it is back home.

I am particularly also looking forward to Monday when I will have my first portfolio committee meeting. Come back on Monday evening or Tuesday to read more about what goes on in such a committee.

Enjoy your weekend! I hope I can catch the end of the Springboks vs. British and Irish Lions test. Go Bokke!!

Thursday 11 June 2009 - My Maiden Speech

After the freezing junket at the opening of the legislature in Kliptown, Soweto, it is back to the more high tech and comfortable Gauteng Provincial Legislature building in the centre of Johannesburg. Today we debate the Premier's fiery State of the Province speech that she delivered in Kliptown.
I, together with a few of my colleagues, were given the opportunity to deliver our maiden speeches during the two day debate. Today it was Mike Moriarty, Myself and Bev Abrahams delivering our maiden speeches. On Friday, Khume Ramulifho and Gavin Lewis delivered their maiden speeches.
I was quite nervous, but once I got into my stride it was OK. I can't wait to give my next speech. For interest sake, here is my maiden speech.

SPEECH BY FRED NEL MPL DA GAUTENG SPOKESPERSON ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN REPLY TO THE PREMIER’S STATE OF THE PROVINCE SPEECH
GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE
THURSDAY 11 JUNE 2009 AT 10:00
EMBARGO: DELIVERY
Honourable Speaker, having been a councillor until recently I have experienced firsthand the challenges faced by municipalities in our province. I was therefore thankful to hear that the Premier committed the Province to improve local government delivery and finances in her State of the Province speech.
Speaker, the Premier summed it up correctly when she indicated that “Fraud and corruption is eating into the moral fibre of our society.” This makes me hopeful that corruption and maladministration will finally be addressed with the necessary intent. I believe the Premier’s first test will be to address the allegations of wrongdoing at the Nokeng Tsa Taemane (Cullinan) municipality where political leaders used Council credit cards like their own piggy banks in contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act. The way issues like these are dealt with will set the real tone of how corruption and maladministration is dealt with by this administration.
Speaker, the Premier’s promise to strengthen local government structures and ward committees and to empower councillors is commendable provided that action follows words this time around. However, the DA must warn against creating unrealistic expectations with regards the powers of individual ward councillors.
Ward councillors do not have the power or means to respond to the issues raised by the communities they serve, even though they would like to. Community issues relating to housing, roads, infrastructure, community safety and even speed bumps are addressed collectively at Council level. Leaving ward councillors at the mercy of the municipality to accommodate such issues in the IDP and within a reasonable time frame.
Ward councillors can only be empowered by providing them with ward-based budgets which they in conjunction with ward committees can allocate to respond quickly to issues raised by communities. This will also increase the relevance of ward committees who are discouraged due to their limited powers and influence.
Madam Speaker, community development workers (CDW’s) are currently a source of conflict in wards. They are appointed by province but are seen as interfering with the work of ward councillors. Their lack of accountability to local government causes further suspicion about their role among ward councillors. Whether it is fair to saddle municipalities with the additional financial and managerial burden of CDW’s initiated and owned by Province remains debatable. The concept of CDW’s requires a serious re-think, and this time ward councillors should be involved in such discussions.
Speaker the DA is delighted that Province is assisting local governments to become sustainable and viable entities. The collection of consumer debt has been a major problem for the past eight and a half years since the new system of local government was implemented. Municipalities lack the management capacity to ensure that consumer debt is collected and in many instances they make use of ineffective and expensive methods to try and recoup the debt owed by their debtors.
According to figures released by Treasury last week municipalities in Gauteng are collectively owed R 24,9 billion by consumer debtors. R 20 billion of this debt is older than 90 days which is confirmation of serious management deficiencies in collecting revenues. This impact negatively on cash flow which in turn impacts a municipality’s ability to deliver services.
The DA has calculated that if only a third of this debt could be recovered it would fund the increases that were proposed by municipalities in Gauteng for the 2009/10 financial year.
Speaker it is also the DA’s view that the MEC for Local Government and the Premier should carefully consider municipal budgets submitted for approval. Within the current economic climate municipal budgets that propose higher than inflation increases are immoral and borders on being criminal. The DA is understands that increases from suppliers have to be accommodated, but we can’t understand why municipalities would increase their margins on water and electricity at the same time.
Municipal budgets should be recession friendly and the DA calls on the MEC and Premier to consider the economic impact of the proposed increases by municipalities on the Province’s economy before rubber stamping them.
As a Province we need to remain competitive in national and international markets to attract investment in order to create jobs and promote economic growth in our Province. Municipal tariff structures play a crucial role in promoting this competitiveness. Municipal tariffs also contribute to inflation and increases input costs for industries in our province.
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, the DA welcomes the intention of the Premier to improve local government in our province and we will judge her by the outcomes resulting from her promises. The DA will play a constructive role in the process to improve local government in our Province and we look forward to starting with this process.
Thank You

Tuesday 9 June 2009 - The Soweto Sitting

It is a freezing Tuesday morning in Kliptown in Soweto and we attended the official opening of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (yes another one). The main event was the Premier's State of the Province speech.

Kliptown is a significant place in South African history as it is the place where the ANC held its Congress of the People and adopted the famous Freedom Charter. You can Google it for more information.

Arriving at the venue was a bit of a mission because of all the closed roads, luckily I had my accreditation and a firendly metro police man gave me parking in front of the venue.

The MPL's (i.e. us) had to sit outside in the freezing wind while the VIP's had a nice comfortable wait inside the main tent (erected for the event). Well all but Fred. I was freezing my butt off so I joined the VIP's in the tent.

This usually marks the official opening of the Legislature despite us having had a few sittings beforehand. The purpose of the event is for the Premier to indicate her programme for delivery and her style of government since this is her first State of the Province speech of her term.

The Premier gave a lively and fiery speech full of promise, light on substance, but reminiscent of DA policy!! The proof of the pudding will be in the eating. Her actions must now match her promises, which I think may not be that easy. But let's wait and see.